Rice and Ties
by ayasa-chan
Summary: Modern/AU Times. Soujiro was a kid who has dark secrets in life. He believes that being strong was the only way to survive even without feeling the love from another. But how does a girl can change him? (ONE SHOT)


**Author's Note:** Hope you enjoy this story. :)

**Summary:** AU. Soujiro was a kid who has dark secrets in life. He believes that being strong was the only way to survive even without feeling the love from another. But how does a girl can change him? One shot!

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin is an anime series and manga owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony and other people who was not me.

**Rice and Ties**

**A hungry girl was standing in the front of the huge apple tree. The tree was said to have threads that bound in each person's life so it was glowing under the gleam of sunlight. It looks wild with its green leaves but it hadn't grown many apples unlike before, only one was left behind. It was shiny and red, looking fresh and delicious. The girl didn't hesitate to pick the last fruit.**

"**My little one, you have no right to eat me." The smiling apple said. "I fear that you will throw me away after you taste me." He added.**

"**Why would I do such thing? I'm really hungry and you look delicious." The girl answered and took a bite.**

**But the taste of an apple was far from the sweetness she expects, it taste salty and bitter so terrible that made her hardly throw it away, but the fruit was still smiling, looking unhurt.**

"**You… you… you taste like tears." The girl cried, "I thought you're so delicious regards in your smiling façade but oh why, oh why you are in pain like that?"**

* * *

The city lights give glow to the architectural structures of the busiest town – Tokyo, Japan.

He panted, sweat covered his young face. _Soujiro was in a hurry._ He needed to go at his boss manor in time to meet him and if not he will never know if he will see the sun tomorrow. He ran fast as he could on the crowded street of Tokyo passing through the people shouting "hey kid, you run stupid."

And there was a bump!

"Owww. WILL YOU PLEASE WATCH YOUR WAY AND APOLOGIZE?" the girl who was about one year younger than him said in loud voice. She has long brown hair; her face expressed juvenile and have stark black eyes.

"Oh, sorry, I'm in a hurry!" he apologized and ran away.

What a trouble, he thought and in the end of the street, he saw the perspective view of Makoto Shishio's mansion.

At the front of the elegant house stood the rice industry he working as a part-time job for his financial needs. Being alone was not a new thing for him. He was an abandoned child since eight and he was really grateful to have Shishio let him work as his secretary.

But no other person outside the working place really knew what the true business inside of Makoto's industry.

"STUPID GUY, AARRGGH!" _Yuki was annoyed._ She straightened her shirt and walked flawlessly at the front door. "I'm home." She silently entered.

"Neh, Yuki-chan! Welcome back. I was about to prepare dinner for you." Her mother said as she tossed her shoes, "but we are out of rice now and the stores near here didn't have single kilo too so can you do me favor?"

"Of course, mother. I'll go in the rice industry since it was not that far besides…" she sniffed the delicious scent of soup from the kitchen, "miso soup is not really tasty without rice." She winked.

Her mother smiled and handled her money. She was really thankful to have a daughter who was respectful and optimistic in life.

* * *

_If you're strong you'll live, if you're weak you'll die._

Words still echoes in his ears. He was inside the Makoto Enterprise, holding papers and drinking coffee at his personal office. Soujiro stared at the opium products which were given by his boss lately; his thoughts went to Takeda Karnyuu, the new business partner who was a power-hungry too. Aside from rice, they were now making opium since both ingredients can be found in farm.

"Being strong means being brave – and if you're brave, you will do illegal things like selling drugs." He sighed and the poor ventilation of his office makes him wander outside of the building.

" _WILL YOU PLEASE WATCH YOUR WAY AND APOLOGIZE?"_ That voice… "It was really familiar, something I heard before. Could it be her?" he thought and shook his head off to remove the image of his playmate during childhood days. Why was he thinking such nonsense things? He needed fresh air before loading his mind at other things.

"Eeeerrghh. I should have watched the weather report this morning!" Rain pours hard as Yuki continuously run through the industry. At last, her feet now stood on the property line of her prize. She sighed and there was a man who accidentally bumps her again.

She fell.

_Thump!_

"Owww. WILL YOU PLEASE WATCH YOUR WAY AND… eh?" she looked at the man who was standing in front of her, offering his hand.

"Don't you have any other things to say than _please watch your way_?" he heaved her. "Are you alright?" Soujiro asked- looking at her.

"Eh?"…

"First, I thought you have a big mouth and now you're speechless." He said and laughed a little.

"Eh?" Yuki stared at him... "You…you… you're the man before!"

"Yep. Hahaha. It's a coincidence, so what business you have here?" he asked.

She looked around. There were no other people around them. They were alone. She took a deep breath, "I… I'll buy rice because most of the stores near in our street didn't have stock anymore."

"I see. We limit the rice production since we are making new products. Sure. I'll get you some. Wait here." Soujiro exited as Yuki sit on the near bench in the ground area.

"I think it was really her." Soujiro sighed while holding the bag of rice grains, his mind went to the girl he remembered. Suddenly he saw Yuki sitting on the bench staring at the hard rain. "I wonder how she will go home in state like this?" he thought.

"Here." He hand nicely the product.

"Thanks." Yuki said and paid him.

She remained in that way – sitting on the bench and staring the starless night sky. The rain doesn't stop, making him remember the scream and plead of the family he used to call.

It's a decade since that rainy evening too. Soujiro parents died when he was four so his relatives raised him for their good but they despise him and beat him - the poor boy learned to smile thinking that they will stop. **He was an abused child, he was a criminal,** he killed them to be strong, he lives his life in Shishio's ideas, and he believes it was right.

"How will you go home? The forecaster said that a strong typhoon and earthquake will hit tonight hahaha." Soujiro made a fake laughed to forget the memories he hated for worst.

"What's so funny? Besides…" she takes a quick glance on him, "I love rain anyway."

Soujiro was surprised and stared at her. He remembered his old friend again, her name was Takahashi Sakura. She was a happy kid who lived next door in Kyoto who has the same manners with the stranger he was sharing a conversation. Maybe it was coincidence, he thought but he really looked like her, he decided to ask her.

"What's your name?"

"Eh? Namida Yuki." She smiled. "Why?"

He was wrong and the ideas before made him laughed more but in the depths of his eyes, he is disappointed. "Hahaha. I thought you're someone I know. I'm Seta Souiro by the way." He smiled. "So what's your plan? I believe that the rain won't stop till morning."

She frowned; Yuki felt pity on the expressions Soujiro was giving her. "I think I'll have to take cool shower under the rain, hey, Soujiro-kun…" she looked at him... "Don't you love rain?"

He flinched, "I didn't. It only reminds me of bad memories and…" he looked intensely at the sky once again. He remembered the way he killed them and the girl whose blood was washed away by the rain drops.

"And what?"

"Rain means pain…" he looked down and smiled.

"That's not it." She went in front of him and tiptoes so they have the same height, "Rain means to wash away your pain." Without thinking, she grabbed his arm.

"Hey, what are you…" Soujiro asked and surprised at the cold sensation of the rain drops giving him…

"You're not happy aren't you?" Yuki asked. "I was like you before. When I was child, Dad and I went through the car accident but he died and I survived and that results to make Mom changed my name to forget bad memories. I live my life through pain but time goes by and I realize you have to live strong without lying to yourself. But sometimes I was wondering how my old friend was, I didn't remember his face and name anymore well…." She swirled around and dance in the midst of the rain… "Come on, Soujiro-kun, this is fun!"

His eyes were wide, so she was her… even with her memories lost, she didn't change. She clearly forgotten him but he was so happy that he met her again. The rain made the pain out of him.

"Name changed huh?" He smirked and grabbed the rice, "Hey you think we should run to your home?" he asked.

"Sure, home is not that far, Mom cooked hot soup and I'm hungry" he clearly saw the trace of real happiness on her smile "think of me as your new family okay? Aren't I so careless to trust a stranger like you?" she happily laughed and ran while holding his hand.

At the midst of the rain, Soujiro feels to have a family again.


End file.
